The Chase
by StardustPixie
Summary: Brayden, daughter of the mayor to Kissing Town, decideds to find an adventure of her own. Her father enlists the help of none other than Wolf and Virginia's son to track her down and bring her home again safetly. Easy enough, right? Think again.
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the 10k or any of its dear lovable characters. But if I did, I would have written and made the sequel a long LONG time ago.

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_A calm quite breeze blew across Brayden's face as she stood out on her balcony overlooking Kissing Town. How often she'd stood there on a night like tonight wishing more than anything to visit the places she could see from her high perch. How many times had she told her father about longing to see the other kingdoms, to see the places the great Virginia saw on her quest to save the kingdoms! Yet each time, he denied her. Why was he so overprotective? For the mayor of the city of love, he sure was short of compassion._

_Brayden watched as a couple passing below paused to share a sweet kiss under an archway. All the romance made her sick. She couldn't stand it any longer! She wanted adventure! Something exciting! Anything but another marriage proposal from a love struck boy in town. It was time she took matters into her own hands. Tonight she would make her escape. She didn't need her father permission! She was nearly 19!_

_Brayden placed her carefully written letter on her bed. She didn't write where she was going, only that she wanted to see the kingdom the way Virginia, Wolf and Tony had years before. She grabbed her pack and stepped back onto the balcony. Then with one last glance over her city, she said goodbye to kissing town and climbed down her terrace onto an adventure all of her own._

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"Chris! Get up!"

Someone was shaking him. He growled. This is not what he wanted on his summer vacation. He opened his eyes lazily to see his mother's face staring down at him.

He slowly sat up and rubbed his face with his hands, "Huff Puff, what is it?"

Virginia smiled at her son's use of her Wolf's favorite expression. He was becoming more and more like his father everyday. They had the same thick dark hair, only Chris' was shorter and more unruly. And they had the same mischievous hazel eyes.

"Well?" Chris yawned stretching his arms.

Virginia's face changed to that of interest. "The king has a visitor to see you. He's been waiting for you all morning!"

Chris stared. A visitor to see him? He hoped it wasn't about the chicken coup he ransacked last week. He simple couldn't help himself! Those chickens were practically calling his name!

Virginia kissed his head before turning to leave. "Hurry up. I know how much you love staying with your grandpa here at the palace. But that is no reason to become lazy like him." Her blue eyes sparkled.

"Tell King Wendell and his guest I'll be right down, mother dearest." He said with an extravagant bow keeping his eyes to the floor until his mother left the doorway, laughing as she went. His mother was right. He did love staying with his grandpa. When he was in the 4th kingdom, he just felt more at home than in crowded New York. He could be himself here. He could let his tail hang out if he wanted to and no one would care. And he had his father to thank for that. For, it was his father that got the pardon for wolves all over the kingdom back when he met his mother 19 years ago. It was his favorite bedtime story when he was a small pup. Today the kingdom was as peaceful as ever. Although some would say that that was a sure sign a disaster was on the rise.

Chris brushed his tail and went down to meet his guest. His nose picked up no scent of chickens, so it couldn't be the chicken farmer. But then who was it?

He entered the throne room and gave a low bow to King Wendell. He didn't recognize the man beside Wendell, but his scent was somewhat a familiar one.

"Chris, I'd like you to meet Mr. Lovett, The mayor of Kissing Town." Wendell motioned to the middle-aged man at his left.

Chris gave another bow, "To what do I owe this most _honorable _visit?"

Wendell almost laughed. He was just like Wolf, that boy. He decided to leave so that the two could have some privacy.

"I'll leave you both to chat." He said slipping out the door to wait. However, He could still hear most of the conversation.

After a few minutes, Mr. Lovett stepped forward with eyes filled with concern. "I'm here today because I am in most desperate need of your help. It is a very important favor I must ask of you. King Wendell says you are the best tracker in the kingdom. Is this true?"

Chris felt a smile pulling at his mouth. He was quite good. His father had taught him very well. "What is it you need me to track, Mr. Lovett?"

The man let out a sad sigh. "My daughter."

Chris stood frozen. A girl? He wanted him to track a girl? He'd never been asked to track a girl before. Nevertheless, he was sure he could do it. In fact, it would be fun!

"Has she run away?" He asked in all seriousness.

Mr. Lovett began pacing the floor. "Yes, I'm afraid she's gone off just like she always said she would. I should have listened to her. Oh, what am I to do!" He threw up his hands in despair before covering his face with them.

"Where has she run off to?" Chris asked. His tail was already starting to twitch at the idea of a good hunt.

"'An adventure', Is what her letter says. She's always told me she wanted to see the places your mother saw on her quest to save the kingdoms. Your mother is her hero, you know. And now she's left me! She'll be attacked by giants or trolls, I just know it!"

"Do not worry, Mr. Lovett! I will find your daughter!" He barked excitedly. He knew all the places Mr. Lovett was referring to. This would be an easy chase.

"Thank you, my dear boy. I am most grateful. I will pay you handsomely what ever you like as long as you get her home to me in one piece!" Mr. Lovett shook his hand heartily.

"I'll get started right away!" Chris scratched his head, "Do you have something belonging to the girl that I could sniff?"

Mr. Lovett pulled a blue ribbon out of his velvet breast pocket and handed it to Chris.

He held it to his nose and breathed the smell in. Lilac oil! Sunshine! And a distinct scent belonging to only the owner of the ribbon. It was the most tantalizing thing he had ever sniffed! So soft and sweet, yet biting at the same time!

Wendell reentered the room and noticed the look on Chris' face. He knew that look. Yes, he'd seen it before many years ago. This couldn't be good.

Suddenly Chris let out a howl and took off full speed out of the castle. He smiled to himself as the ground flashed beneath his feet. He'd found the scent.Yes, this was going to be an easy chase indeed!

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**A/N:** Well what do you think? My first 10k fic, so be nice. It's been a while since I've seen the series. But I'm refreshing my memory as I type this, thanks to whoever posted the thing on youtube. Sorry if this chapter is a little short. I promise the others will be longer. Thanks for reading! Now review! 


	2. The Disenchanted Forest

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the 10th Kingdom or any of its delightful characters. If I did, I would have made the sequel a LONG time ago.

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Brayden collapsed under the shade of a few trees just off the view from the road. She sat for a moment in the tall grasses as she rested her aching feet. She'd been walking for exactly one day. But she wasn't complaining. It felt so exhilarating to be finally be out on her own. It was like a weight was lifted from her! 

Brayden pulled her map from her pack. If she was right with her calculations, she should be arriving at the Disenchanted Forest just around midnight. A delicious shiver shot down her spine at the idea of walking through the forest that late at night. It absolutely thrilled her.

The forest was much safer now. And although the Huntsman was gone, it was still far from being friendly and inviting. There were still trolls wandering about and other dangerous creatures lurking in its dark shadows. There was even talk that the Huntsman's ghost still lingered amongst the thick firs, haunting the forest and scaring away the occasional visitor. It didn't matter to Brayden. There was nothing that could keep her away from it. All those things were what made it her first stop on her travels through the nine kingdoms.

Night came on quickly and Brayden continued down the road, gravel crunching beneath her boots. The scattered stars shone brightly against the blackened sky yet giving off just enough light to see the path in front of her. She squinted to see what was beginning to rise up in the distance. There it was, The Disenchanted Forest. It was just as she'd imagined it. Dark and tantalizingly sinister.

She hesitated only for a moment as she stepped into the canopy of forest. She'd never been so far away from the sites and sounds of a city. And she'd certainly never been out anywhere alone. Her father made sure of that. The silence would definitely take some getting used to.

A twig snapped behind her. Brayden turned around, her heart beating fast in her chest, and stared into the surrounding darkness. She expected to see a pair of eyes peering out at her from behind a tree. But she saw nothing. She told herself it was just her mind playing tricks. She wasn't scared. The forest could do its worst. She would be ready.

As if on cue, a branch reached out and snagged her skirt causing her to meet the ground with a loud thump. Brayden picked herself up and kept walking. Her dress seemed to snag on every blessed root, thorn bush, anything it could, as she tried to make her way through the thick woods.

"Dresses are so impractical!" she barked as she seethed, tucking her skirt up in her belt. A wry smile made its way across her face as an idea started to form in the back of her mind. If she could find Snow White's cottage, maybe she could find some old clothes that would be more suitable for her travels. Of course, it was unlikely to find any kind of clothing in an abandoned house, let alone something specific. But it was worth the try.

After hours of searching in the dark, Brayden finally thought she found it. This was a very good thing. Anymore searching and she would have collapsed. The cottage was very run down but it still had a certain charm about it. Of course, in the dark, it was hard to see that charm. And Brayden eyed the house warily before taking a step through the threshold.

The house was as expected, a mess. Inches of dust covered most everything and cobwebs hung in the corners like silken banners. Brayden hurried into one of the bedrooms to look for anything that might contain clothing. Her heart began to beat like crazy, as her thoughts turned to years earlier when Virginia stood in the exact room she was now standing in. For there before her eyes were seven small beds! And even more to her delight, seven small trunks at the ends of each.

Brayden knelt down before one and opened its rusty latch. Clothes! But they were very small clothes. She held up a pair of pants. They would be too short, of course. But they looked like they would just be long enough for her tuck into her boots. She pulled out a white tunic. It looked like it would fit well enough. At least it would be easier for her to move in.

She changed quickly into her new clothes and looked for a mirror in which to examine her new attire. She found one in the corner of the room and wiped some dust from it with her elbow. It certainly was a bold fashion statement. In fact, if it weren't for her long brown hair, she would have looked very much like a young boy. But who was she to impress in the middle of the woods?

Brayden plopped down onto one of the beds and laid there staring at the ceiling. Suddenly her thoughts turned to her father. She wondered how he was holding up. He would probably be blaming himself for her leaving. He just didn't understand how much she wanted to travel and see the world! He would never understand.

Brayden sighed and turned to stare at the moon through the window. It was a full moon tonight. The leaves and trees outside all had a silvery hue from the bright moonshine. It was beautiful, yet haunting at the same time. Brayden could feel the hairs on her arms standing up as she heard a howl from somewhere in the distance. It sounded far away. And for that, she was thankful.

Brayden's stomach growled loudly. It sounded twice as loud to her ears from sitting in silence for so long. She sat up and pulled some bread from her pack. It was a light meal. But it was enough to quiet her stomach. Maybe now she could get a little sleep. After all, it was nearing dawn and she was worn out. She would have a hard time sleeping tonight though, she knew. The dusty dark cottage wasn't exactly inspiration for sweet dreams. But eventually, her heavy eyelids won out.

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"Well, what do we have here? Looks like someone found our little hide out." A gruff voice spat out loudly in Brayden's ear. She tumbled out onto the floor in surprise rubbing her sleepy eyes as they adjusted to the light. It was morning now and sunlight was streaming in through the windows revealing her new companions. Two trolls.

"I think we scared her," laughed the larger of the two who had a bone through his nose.

"I'm not afraid of you," said Brayden folding her arms across her chest and holding her head high. Trolls were the lest of her worries. They were easily manipulated. An art she had become skilled at after spending time with the nobles that visited Kissing Town.

The troll that had first spoken to her stepped forward and snatched her by her hair. Brayden yelped in pain as she grasped for her hair.

The troll held her face closely to his so that she could just smell his reeking breath. "Then maybe we didn't introduce ourselves properly. We are Grog and Crusher, sons of Burly the Troll King. And this is our little home away from home." He released her hair as he motioned around him with a smile that revealed his rotten teeth.

Brayden laughed aloud. Some home! They could use a little spring-cleaning…

"What's so funny?" Shouted Crusher clearly insulted that she wasn't begging for mercy. "I'm about to tear you limb from limb!"

"I'm sorry. You're right. Forgive me your majesties." Brayden gave a flourishing bow, which seemed to quell both the trolls' wounded pride.

She'd heard about the troll king, his brother and his sister from the stories she'd heard about Virginia. It was said that a few years ago the troll king had supposedly been convinced to help with the torture department at Snow White Memorial Prison for the payment of his choice…expensive rare shoes. That was it! Now she knew how she was going to rid herself of her newfound friends.

"Might I strike up a bargain with you?" She asked looking at her nails casually then eyeing both trolls.

Grog looked at his brother and shrugged, "Depends on what that bargain might be."

Brayden leaned forward as if to disclose top-secret information and whispered, "What if I told you where you could find the finest pair of seven league boots in all of the nine kingdoms?"

Crusher gasped in delight, "Tell-" Grog slapped his hand over his brother's mouth.

"Continue." He said cooly yet obviously interested.

"I'll tell you where to find the boots if you let me go. Simple as that." Brayden clasped her hands behind her back.

"How do we know you aren't lying?" Crusher said nodding with self-approval for coming up with such a clever thought.

Brayden smiled. "That's just a risk you'll have to take."

"I say we just eat her," said Crusher turning to consult his brother.

"They say they are one hundred percent genuine leather with golden laces and diamond aglets," continued Brayden in a seductive voice.

"She's messing with us Grog. Don't let her get into your head!"

"I have the map right here…" Brayden reached for her pack.

"STOP!" shouted Grog. "If these boots are so fine and rare, why don't _you_ have them?"

"I was on my way to them. Why else would I be alone in this dismal forest? And since I value my life more than the boots…I'm willing to give you the map." Brayden pulled a piece of paper from her pack and waved it in the air.

Grog looked thoughtfully at the paper in the girl's hand. Her story sounded believable enough. He could just imagine the look on his dad's face when he brought him those shoes… Yes, he would take the deal!

"Alright, you're freedom for the map." He relented.

Brayden shook his hairy hand, "Done. I hope you enjoy the shoes."

As soon as she handed him the slip of paper, she began to make her way out of the cottage at a slightly fast pace.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Grog shouted, "This isn't a map. It's a flyer from one of those Kissing Town Casinos!"

Brayden didn't wait to turn around; she took off running full speed into the forest. She could hear the trolls shouting as they ran after her. They would catch her before long. She needed a place to hide. But where? Surely there was someplace to hide in such a large forest!

She ran until she was at a small clearing. A large tree was at the center of it stretching up tall toward the sky. She leaned against it for a minute to catch her breath. The trolls weren't far behind her. She could still hear them cursing as they ran along her trail. She let her head rest against the tree as she thought of what to do. Finding a place to hide was more difficult than she'd thought it would be. The trolls would catch her soon. And if they did, she doubted she'd be able to get away again so easily.

Suddenly fate decided to step in. Something strange began to happen behind her as she continued to lounge against the tree. It began to creak and move! All over,Vines began snapping off! Then the tree slowly opened up behind her with a loud moan. And before she could stop herself, she fell right into it.

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**A/N: **Well, there's chapter 2. I'm still not quite happy with it. Sorry for the cliffie, I just had to.

What do you guys think? Like it? Hate it? Let me know. Any feedback is great! A big thanks to my reviewers: You guys are AWESOME and you keep me motivated! I am SO sorry about the delay in updating! I'm horrible. I know. I just didn't get enough time to just sit and write like I usually do. Hopefully the next chapter will be posted soon.

Also, has anyone else had problems with fanfiction sending alerts? I didn't get any alerts of any kind until yesterday. So I though I only had 3 reviews. Imagine my surprise when I checked my account on fanfiction to see I had six more and not a single alert about it in my inbox!

Ok, enough of that. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!


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